Discerning God's Will

Introduction

We are going to be looking at Nehemiah. I think this is just one of the great books that highlights the need to discern God’s will in your life. However, I want to take a little bit of time in this introduction and look at this very simple truth. “You have to care.” Why should you care, because God does in fact have a purpose for your life.

Rom 8:28 “28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

1 Chron 28:9 “9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; .”

Matt 6:31-33 “31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I. What doe all these verses have in common? You must seek God and the purpose.

Carlos and I were at the 4th of July fair and Carlos was handing out some tracts. He pushed them a little when they at first didn’t take it. Sometimes you need to be a little bold. It was a daughter and her father. two generations. She said they don’t believe in God. So I asked, so are you atheist, agnostic? She responded, we just don’t care. At least its honest. Here is a father, watching his daughter proclaim to the world that they don’t care about God.

Listen to the poem Invictus written by William Ernest Henley, an English poet:

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

for my unconquerable soul

William Henley was an atheist and he wrote this at the age of 27

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

William Henley had tuberculosis of the bone, a very painful and awful disease, he lost a leg and it eventually killed him.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears,

Looms but the horror of the shade,

and yet the menace of the years

finds, and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

Now turn to Isaiah 14:12-15 “12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

Understand that there are consequences to being the master of your own fate and the captain of your own soul.

Look at Matt 10:11-15 “11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12 And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.”

Discerning God’s will must start caring about a lost and dying world.

I. Being in the right place at the right time

A. Scripture says “And it came to pass in the month of Chisleu, in the twentieth year . . . “ (Nehemiah 1:1)

1. One of the hardest things to do as a Christian is to wait for the right time.

2. Nehemiah’s time had come.

a) However, Nehemiah didn’t know it yet

b) Like Nehemiah, there are ways to know God’s will.

c) The first thing we know about Nehemiah was that he was patient.

B. The passage continues “. . .I was in Sushan the palace.” (Nehemiah 1:1)

1. Nehemiah needed patience staying in the right place – the palace.

2. Like us, Nehemiah knew neither the time nor the place God would call him.

3. The only thing Nehemiah could do was to wait on God.

C. The passage continues to say “Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain me of Judah; and I asked them.” (Nehemiah 1:2).

C. Because Nehemiah was patient, God presented him with an opportunity

D. Christian don’t get ahead of God. When the time is right, you will know it.

II. Nehemiah had to respond with the right heart

A. Nehemiah asks “. . . concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 1: 2).

1. Nehemiah was concerned with others more than himself.

2. When you have the right heart, you will ask the right questions.

B. Nehemiah hears “The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:3).

1. Nehemiah was living a good life, with good money.

2. What would it take for you to leave the good life you now live?

C. Nehemiah writes “When I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 1:4).

1. Nehemiah responded with the right heart

a) He wept with the brethren.

b) He fasted and prayed to God.

c) He was willing to be used by God in any way he could.

III. Nehemiah was willing to be used by God

A. Nehemiah prays “I beseech thee, O Lord . . . ) (Nehemiah 1:5).

1. Nehemiah prays for God to listen to his petition (Nehemiah 1:5-6).

2. Nehemiah confesses his own sins and the sins of the nation (Nehemiah 1:7-8).

3. Nehemiah calls upon the promises of God (Nehemiah 1:9).

B. Nehemiah prays to God “But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of heaven, yet will I gather them from thence.” (Nehemiah 1:9).

1. Calling on the promise of God means you are willing to be part of how God will accomplish the promise!

2. When you pray – be willing to be part of the solution!

3. Prayer has power.

C. Nehemiah ends the prayer, “. . . let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the payer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, they servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the King’s cupbearer.” (Nehemiah 1:10-11).

1. Nehemiah feared the Lord

2. Nehemiah petitions to prosper, not himself, but the brethren.

3. Nehemiah connects himself to the brethren “the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants.” (Nehemiah 1:11).

Conclusion:

Again, Nehemiah, had to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right heart and being willing to be used by God through prayer. Notice, that up through the first 11 verses, Nehemiah is simply responding with the right attitude! He fasted, wept, and prayed his heart out to God. Oh, if God’s people were willing to have the heart and pray as Nehemiah! Never underestimate what God can do with your life if you are in the right place, at the right time, and willing to pray with the right heart.